As San Francisco prepares for its fifth gun buyback this Saturday, organizers released statistics that give a window into what type of firearms have been taken out of circulation in the past.
The stats appear to suggest that though these aren’t necessarily street guns on the brink of being used in crimes, they often weren’t being stored securely in homes, and their disposal made people feel safer.
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The surveys found cash wasn’t the primary reason people handed over firearms — just 16 percent said money was the main driver. Safety was the bigger motivation, with many saying they were given the gun but didn’t want it, or that they had changed their mind after buying one. A few said they found an unwanted gun in their house or yard.
The guns were typically older models, not of the type usually used for crime, and those who turn in weapons are sometimes older and not in more crime-prone age groups. The San Francisco surveys found that nearly two-thirds of sellers were over 50, with just 4 percent coming from people 18 to 29.
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http://blog.sfgate.com/stew/2014/10/29/what-types-of-guns-are-turned-in-at-san-francisco-buybacks/
No major surprises, but a fairly comprehensive set of data. Supports (IMO) the conclusion that 'buy-backs' aren't likely to have much crime impact, but do have the benefit of improving household safety on an individual basis...
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What types of guns are turned in at San Francisco buybacks? (Original post)
